Welcome to November!

November is the month of gratitude and we would like to thank the many visitors and special guests that toured the Meadow Croft estate this season. Every year we have more and more guests and the house continues to shine under the leadership of the board of the BBPHA in conjunction with Suffolk Co. Parks Department. The month of November, Meadow Croft undergoes a special transformation as we prepare for our signature event; Christmas at Meadow Croft. We also offer a special night for adults called, Christmas Aglow. Don't forget our monthly membership meetings, All are welcome! More information can be found below.

General Membership Meeting

Please join us for our General Membership meetings. Open to all! All meetings are held at the BBP Library. There is also a raffle drawing at every meeting. We hope to see you there!

Films of the American Great Depression:1929-1939

Marsa Collock

Babylon Historical Society

Sunday, November 16, 2025

2-4pm

Classic film aficionado, Marsha Collock will offer a look at the state of the country during the Great Depression, and the role that movies played, both as a reflection of the times and as a method of pleasure and escape from the harsh conditions many had to endure. The Great Depression era was Hollywood’s golden age and produced films that have stood the test of time.

Marsha is a classic film aficionado and serves as a clerk at the Village of Babylon Historical & Preservation Society. She is a lifelong resident of Long Island as well as a lifelong follower of classic films. She is the author of the classic film blog: "A Person in the Dark" and is the curator at the Village of Babylon Historical and Preservation Society Museum.

There will be no meeting in December but Save the Date for the next one held on January 18, 2026.

Long Island History Hunt

Congrats to our Long Island History Hunt Grand Prize Winner! Ray Larsen of Manorville, NY traveled over 100 miles from Brooklyn’s Green-Wood Cemetery to the Montauk Point Lighthouse to take the selfie challenge at a dozen museums and historic sites including Meadow Croft. Ray is the founder of LIParks.com, a website that promotes Long Island’s parks, trails and preserves. He calls the website a tribute to the region his family has called home for generations. Ray’s roots date back to Long Island’s earliest settlers. Ray, you're a true trailblazer!
Congratulations also go to Runner-Up Prize Winner 1: Noah Treppin, West Sayville, NY who completed 12 challenges. Noah, a 15-year-old with Level 1 autism, is very proud to have completed all History Hunt challenges together with his mother, Alexandra.The Long Island History Hunt was sponsored by the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation.

Thank you Docents!

As mentioned above, every season we have hundreds of people pass through the doors of the JER estate at Meadow Croft to get a small glimpse of what life was like for the Roosevelt's in the early 1900's. We are so fortunate to have a group of dedicated volunteers who spend part of their weekend as docents, or tour guides to share the rich history of the Meadow Croft estate.

We would like to thank them for their time, dedication and passion for keeping local history alive! Thanks go to: Baylee Browning, Beth Lamarca, Denise Coscia, Frank Giebfried, Henry Hoyt, Jerry McCluskey, Lynn Clarke, Roy Fedelem, Sandra Iden, Shannon Voyack, Leanne Berg, Mary Bailey, Mary Lou Cohalan and Eric Haesche. Special thanks go to Jennifer Economos for organizing, training and scheduling all of them! Your leadership is invaluable! Thank you all!

One Hotel, Many Names

These articles first appeared in the Bayport Blue Point Gazette and were written by Gene Horton.

They are reprinted here with permission.

October 2005

Over the years, this summer hotel had various names, depending on who the owner was. When built around 1900, the owner was Henry Stokes, and the place was known as The Maples. By the 1920 summer season, Eugene Senger had purchased the place and renamed it Gene's Bay View Hotel. In the 1950's and 60's, the place was known as Chip-a-Qua Inn. It was one of the last of Blue Point's old summer hotels and boardinghouse to disappear. It was dismantled in April, 1960. It was located on the northeast corner of Middle Road and Blue Point Avenue. Private homes are located there today.